Automatic reversing-switch for gas-engines.



J. M. RHETT.

AUTOMATIG REVERSING SWITCH FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 15, 1910.

995,482, Patented June 20, 1911.

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JAMES M. RHETT, OF BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING-SWITCH FOR G As-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Application filed October 15, 1910. $eral No. 587,276.

To. all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JAMES; M. RHETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaufort, in the county of Beaufort and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Reversing-Switches for Gas-Engines; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such' as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 0

This invention relates to automatic switches for reversing gas engines, and has for its object to improve the switch shown in my prior Patent Number 950,704, dated March 1 1910.

7 To these ends the invention consists in the details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the clalms.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, the figure is a diagrammatic illustration of one form of my invention.

It is well known to those operating gas or other internal explosion engines that they may be readily reversed without the em loyment of any clutch by the proper a justment of the sparking points, and by a skilful throwing of the switch cont-rolling the ignition circuit at the proper time, all as has been set forth in my patent above.

However, as stated in said patent, there are a number of objections to the reversal of engines by this method, and the object of my invention therefore more specifically stated is to provide a magnetic meansoperating automatically to reverse the engine, and therefore to render such reversal more certain than has been the case heretofore.

In the drawings 1, 2 and 3 represent the cylinders of any suitable engine; 4, 5, and 6 suitable spark coils in this instance shown as induction coils; 7 8 and 9 spark plugs for the cylinders; and 1.0, 11 and 12 connections between the secondaries of said coils and said spark plugs respectively.

13 represents any suitable source of current in this instance shown as a battery, and 14, 15 and 16 represent suitable connections between one pole of said battery and one end of the primaries of said spark coils. The other ends 17, 18 and 19 of said primaries are connected by the wires 20, 21 and 22 t0 the arms 24 and 25 to the usual commu-' tator or tlmmg device employed in connec-.

tion withlengines of this type. This timmg devioe asis well known is provided with an' insulating lug with which said arms contact, and w ich carries a metallic plate.

26, which successively contacts with the arm's 23, 24 and 25 as the said plug is rotated-by the engine, 27 represents a connection between said plate 26 and the block 28, which is in electrical connection with the plunger 29 adapted to contact with the spring termi throw a switch 32 from the position shown in the drawings in contact with the stop 33 over to the right and into contact with the sto 34. During this movement the said switch 32 will momentarily make contact with the plate 35, and thereupon permit a current to pass through the wire 36 connected to one pole of the battery 37, through the wire 38 connected to the magnets 39, through said magnets, and through the wire 40 leading back to the other pole of the loattery asshown. The magnet 39 being thus energized will pull its armature 41 to the left, as seen in the drawings, and thereby pull the rod 29 connected to said armature in the same direction, and consequently break the circuit just described passing through the sparking system. The breaking of the sparking system will, of course, cause the enginelto slow down, and the movement of the rod 29 in the direction stated will rock the bell crank lever 42 on its pivot 43 and cause its arm 44 to make contact with the spring finger 45. The arm 44 is electrically connected with the binding post 46 as shown, and with the wire 47 leading to the magnet 49 which in turn is connected by the wire 50 to one pole of the battery 37. When the armature 41 was retracted as above described, a spring controlled plunger 51 entered a notch 52 in said rod 29, and thereupon held the latter retracted against the tension of its spring 53. The contact 45 is in electrical connection with the w1re 55, which in turn is connected to one member 56 of a spring contact, the other mem- 61 is provided with a projection 62 which is located in close proxlmity to one of the members 56 of a spring contact, and the re lation of the parts is such that when the fly wheel slows down, the centrifugal balls 63 of the governor will permit said projection 62 to contact with the spring 56, and thereby close the circuit between the said springs 56 and 57. When this happens the circuit will then be closed through the magnet 49, and the armature 65 of said magnet will be retracted, against the tension of the spring 66 on the rod 51, whereupon the rod 29 will be released and theoriginal sparking circuit will be reestablished.

The spring 53 or the spring 66, or both, are suitably adjusted by means of the nuts 67 and 68 and the screw threads on their respective rods, or by other suitable means in order to secure an eflicient operation of the parts. When the desired point in the revolution of the fly wheel has been reached, the parts are so arranged that the sparking will reoccur before the piston has completed its stroke, and therefore the new sparking will cause the engine to be reversed. After the engine is reversed, of

'course, the throwing of the lever 32 back into its original position shown in the drawings will again reverse the engine or start it 1n its ori inal direction.

It is evi ent that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and ar-- rangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims.

What I claim is:

1'. In a reversing switch for gas engines the combination of a sparking circuit; magnetic means for breaking said circuit; means for controlling the action of said magnetic means; and means for locking said magnetic means and automatically releasing the same after a predetermined interval, substantially as described.

2. In a reversing switch for gas engines the combination of a sparking circuit; magnetic means for breaking said circuit, comprising a plunger; a spring for controlling the movements of said plunger; means for locking said plunger against the tension of said spring in its extreme position; and automatic means for releasing said plunger after said engine has decreased its speed, substantially as described.

3. In a reversing switch for gas engines the combination of a sparking circuit; magnetic means for breaking said circuit, comprising an armature; a spring for controlling the movements of said armature; means comprising a magnetically controlled latch for locking said armature against the tension of said spring in its extreme position; a circuit associated with said magnetically controlled latch; and automatic means comprising a centrifugal device for closing said circuit and releasing said armature after a predetermined change in the speed of said engine, substantially as described.

4. In a reversing switch for gas engines the combination of a sparking circult; a plunger adapted to make and break said circuit; a s ring controlling said plunger; a magnet or retractin said plunger; a latch for holding said p unger refracted; a second magnet for retracting said latch; and a centrifugal device for c osing the circuit through said second magnet, substantially as described.

5. In a reversing switch for gas engines the combination of a sparking circult; a plunger adapted to make and break said circuit; a spring controlling said plunger; a magnet for retracting said plunger; a second circuit; a lever controlled by said magnet and spring for making and breaking said second circuit; a latch for holding said plun er retracted; a second magnet for retracting said latch, connected in said second circuit; and a centrifugal device for closing the circuit through said second magnet; substantially as described.

6. In a reversing switch for a gas engine the combination of a sparking circuit; a spring controlled plunger for making and breaking said circuit; a magnet for retracting said plunger; a spring controlled latch for holding said plunger retracted; a second circuit; a lever actuated by said plunger for making and breaking said second circuit; a second magnet joined in said second circuit and controlling said latch; a spring contact controllin' said second circuit; and a centrifugal device adapted to close said spring contact when the engine has reached a predetermined speed; substantially as described.

- 7. In a reversing switch for a gas engine provided with a fly wheel, the combination of a sparking circuit; a spring controlled plunger for making and breaking said circuit; a magnet for retracting said plunger: a spring controlled latch for holding said plunger retracted; a second circuit; a lever actuated by said plunger for making and breaking said second circuit; a second magnet joined in said second circuit and controlling said latch; a spring contact conlot trolling said second circuit; a centrifugal In testimony whereof, I aflix my signadevilce comected to said fly gheelh adapted ture, in presence of two witnesses.

to c ose sai spring contact W y en t e engine has reached a predetermined speed; and a JAMES RHETT' hand operated switch adapted to control Witnesses:

said retracting magnet; substantially as de- T. L. P. BETTIsoN,

scribed. DANIEL MANN. 

